I am so pleased to have my work featured by Materialise N.V. They are and have always been at the cutting edge of additive manufacturing. Much of my work would not be possible without the technology and software invented and developed by this company.
Just 5 years ago I would never of thought that it would be a matter of course that I could turn a 3D scan of a Tokyo tree branch into a metalpoint bronze stylus cast in Belgium that I hand finished in Pittsburgh which will be seen by thousands of people around the world.
I am excited for what the future holds.
Thank you again Materialise for featuring my work and for making what I do possible.
Ryan Mooney of The Wool Hats String Band - A Connecticut based bluegrass/jamgrass group - takes another look at our #hringpoki guitar picks. He put version one through the ringer in January.Since then we have made some changes - based in large part on his feedback . We shipped him some new picks and he put some thoughts to paper. Enjoy.
Words by Ryan Mooney
First Impressions of version two of "The Most Interesting Guitar Pick In The World"
First off, I’d say they are much more comfortable to grip than the prior picks. Having removed the ridge that the old ones had and adding a little concavity makes them fit very well with how I hold a pick.
Second, the circle pack design provides a certain amount of grip that you don’t get on a solid pick. Overall, they have a very nice feel to them.
Poly-Brass-Poly
For the brass vs the plastic, the bronze one is much more stiff, even stiffer than the Blue Chip pick that I tend to play with. It has very little (or no) flex, likely because of the metal design. Surprisingly, the tone out of it isn’t as bright as I would have expected from a metal pick. This may be due to the smooth edge that it has. I found this to be a pleasant surprise and the pick that is most similar to what i currently use.
That said, it is a little brighter than my Blue Chip pick. The plastic ones are much lighter than I tend to use on an acoustic. They also provide a bit of bite, which I think comes from the textured edge on them. They seem to produce a pretty bright and immediate tone off of the acoustic strings. This may be due to the amount of flex that happens when they hit a heavy string. The black one was played for a while by my bandmate (Matt) and you can see the texture smoothing out.
Overall
In summary, I would say these are a good design and playable picks. They’d make a nice addition to a pick collection of someone who likes to explore the different tonal characteristics of various materials.
The Music
Angeline The Baker
As for pick comparisons, here's some picking I did of an old fiddle tune called Angeline the Baker. This will give you some idea of how single note stuff sounds.
Here are some chords from my song The Devil That You Know. This will give you a feel for how they sound strummed. As I’m typing this, I’m realizing how odd it is that I basically picked the Angel and Devil as my samples.
Recommendations and Possible Next Steps for Version Three
Lastly, if you want some feedback for other styles, if it is possible to produce the plastic pick without the texture on the edges, it may produce a mellower tone out of the gates. A thicker plastic pick might be interesting to try, too. Lastly, maybe make the tip of the pick solid with the circle pack more in the center of the pick where the thumb grips it. This may maximize the grip aspects while minimizing the flex.
Right now we're in an in-between period for device connectors. We are edging towards a world that's more and more wireless but we'll never be completely sans wires. USB-C is the latest entrant in the world of wired device connectors.
It's got a lot going for it, including wide industry support including the likes of Apple, Intel, Dell, and SAMSUNG. As many of the world's most recognized manufacturers are supporting this new technology, it is likely to be widely adopted. With that kind of backing it's only a matter of time until USB-C gradually replaces previous connector types, including USB-A, USB-B and USB Mini-B (and even Apple's lightning port).
Will it be nice when there's one port to rule them all? Yes, but it’s going to be a while until all of our accessories are able to talk through USB-C. So if you have a device (laptop, tablet, or phone, etc) whose only physical connection to the outside world is a USB-C port, you my friend are going to have to invest in, wait for it, a dongle. You also might want a travel charger and maybe some high quality braided wires.
AUKEY sent me all those things to review. So here we go.
USB-C to 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub | CB-C64
Ever want to plug a LOT of stuff into your phone? Image - AUKEY
The AUKEY CB-64 is a four port C to 3 hub takes advantage of every bit of the usability of this new standard. Plug your keyboard, mouse, etc. and it will still run an external hard drive with no problem. Pretty impressive from a $16.00 hub that's not externally powered.
That being said, it does have limitations. The max output of USB 3.0 ports is 5V 0.9A. Because of the high power demand you can't connect an Apple Superdrive or charge a tablet via the USB ports. Also, the hub supports a maximum of 2 hard drives but for best performance, the power demand of connected devices shouldn't exceed the Max current output of 0.9A.
LIKE: Very slim and light, nice quality brushed-plastic case, compatible with tons of devices, comes with a 24-month warranty.
NO LIKE: Power limitations. It would be great if it could do some double duty. Like if you could pair it with a wall charger and use it as a USB power bar to charge multiple devices.
And speaking of wall chargers.
18W Power Delivery Wall Charger | PA-Y18
The PA-Y18 is a compact USB-C wall charger packs an 18W punch in a crazy small space. The plugs fold for easy portability and storage and the piano black finish looks especially slick. I mean, for a wall charger it looks nice.
Did I mention it was small? Take a look at this photo.
I don't know about you but my iPhone chomps through the battery like packman eating pellets. It dynamically negotiates power output over the USB-C connection to safely and efficiently recharge a wide range of compatible devices. You can fast charge the new iPhone XS/XS Max/XR up to 50% in just 30 minutes - using the Apple brand usb-c to lightning cable. It's nice to be able to throw this thing in a bag and be able to get a quick charge when I can.
LIKE: This $17 charger is small and sturdy. The size is really nice because it’s also feather light. Why is this a good thing? If a wall plug is worn and doesn’t grab hold of the prongs very well this charger won't fall out. This isn’t the case with some of the larger wall plugs - I'm looking at you MacBook and iPad Pro chargers.
These 6 foot braided USB-C to 3 cables are a nice upgrade because the OEM cables that ship standard typically tend to break apart near the joins after some time. This right angle one? Way more flexible, convenient, and sturdy.
The stats on these cables are decent as well. You can safely charge up to 3A and they support data transfer at up to 480Mbps. AUKEY also claims that they will survive 5000+ bends which sounds like a lot of USB limbo if you ask me.
But what I really like is the length. They sent me the 6 footer - they also sell a shorter 3 foot model - so you can get these wires to reach those inconvenient office or airport outlets making it easier to use and charge your phone while your on the go.
The 90º connection is nice.
Just checked into your hotel room? Want to watch a movie and charge your phone while relaxing in bed? With these right angled cables, it's very convenient to do so. Th cord is parallel to the phone so it's easier to hold.
Say you use a USB hub on your desk. Normal cables sprout over the top of the hub. Since both sides of this cord are angled the plugs lie in perfect order over the top.
USB C to USB C - 6ft | CB-CD6-N-US
Finally AUKEY sent over the CB-CD6 C2C cable for me to try. It doesn't have the 90º angle of the other cords but they are braided nylon and the joins look much better constructed than OEM cables. If you’re traveling and constantly pulling the cord out of your bag that means these should be able to take that kind of use and not break.
Also, this cord and the 90º one comes with a handy cable strap. So not only is the braided nylon tangle-resistant but they store nice and easy in your bag or drawer. No frustrating tangled mess when you reach for the cable.
Quality nylon AND a cable strap. I wonder if AUKEY makes earbuds/headphones with this same level of care?
LIKE: Quality nylon. Nice lengths. Cable strap. Good price.
It’s been a while since Shapeways, and then i.materialize eliminated ceramic materials from their material offerings. No doubt, ceramic wasn’t a big profit center at those companies. The math didn’t pencil out to offer it at prices consumers were willing to pay. The prints were expensive and the designers tasked with selling reproductions on the marketplace were not likely able to; A $90 tea light holder is a big ask to get someone to buy.
But, there is a definite interest in additive ceramic. Smaller players like Tethon 3D and Formlabs have a ceramic resin product, and designers have been able to create some amazing things using it.
Cups Made With Formlabs Ceramic Resin - Photo Formlabs
Prints by Tethon - The Roman Singularity City in Ceramics, Photo by Antonio Palmieri
Tethon is entering the hardware market with its Bison 1000, which might be a very neat acquisition for a successful ceramicist who wants to push the boundaries of what the material can do.
For the hobbyist/prosumer, there are some FDM style printers. From the Netherlands we have LUTUM by VormVrij which has been used to produce some very beautiful work. It’s also quite expensive. CERAMBOT out of China actually looks to be getting off the ground and is about to release its entry-level machine to their Kickstarter backers and the general public sometime in Q2 2019. It has some great potential for designers willing to work within its constraints.
Photo - CERAMBOT
Origami Sake Set - By Bre & Co. Made with a LUTUM printer.
But, it would help if you had a lot of other resources to make a ceramic product. Ceramic is not something the average apartment dweller will be able to do at home. Besides the printer, you need a place to dry the wet print, a place to glaze it, and a kiln or some method to fire it. For the average hobbyist or designer being able to farm out an idea for a ceramic design to the likes of Shapeways or i.materialise was a convenient (albeit expensive) way to bring those ideas to life in a unique material.
I liked being able to experiment with ceramic 3D prints. It was because of one of those experiments that I came across Kwambio. A customer asked if I could provide her with several copies of a spike cup I had made using Shapeways’ discontinued porcelain material.
Cobalt Blue Porcelain Spike Cup - Photo and Design by Jeremy Burnich for J O Y C O M P L E X
I don’t like telling a customer something can’t be done without at least doing some digging - one of the good things I learned from being an attorney. I explained that no major 3D printing house does ceramic anymore, so I’d have to use a smaller place and see what it would cost and if I would have to make changes to the design.
I went over to Tethon because I knew they did some production in the past, but they seem to have discontinued that service. After some internet sleuthing, I discovered Kwambio. They are a materials/printer startup with production facilities in Ukraine and offices in London and New York. The production facilities are what intrigued me since they offered a wide variety of glazes and colors. I did some more poking around and felt they looked more or less like a legitimate 3D printing enterprise.
I reached out, and Natalia Rybachok soon wrote back. I explained what I needed and asked what they needed from me. They examined the file that I made for the old Shapeways specifications and let me know what needed to be changed for a successful print. Changes were made, and a quote was received. The price was on par with getting the cup made in SLS nylon, so I was on board, and my customer was willing to work with me as well. Natalia was quick and professional despite the time zone lag, and I was impressed with her customer service and patience with walking me through their process.
Spike Cups
left: Shapeways Porcelain; right: Kwambio Ceramic
I used my porcelain prints as a baseline for comparison. If Kwambio could approximate that standard at what seemed like a reasonable price, I’d be happy. I ordered some copies in a gloss glaze and color similar to what my customer liked. I also ordered an experimental cup. Then I sat back and waited. The cups themselves were quickly printed, I’d say in under ten days. Shipping was the bottleneck. UPS cost more than I wanted to pay, and the other option was Ukrposhta, which was less expensive but a long wait. I checked with my customer, and time wasn’t an issue for her order, so I opted for the less expensive route.
left: Shapeways Porcelain; right: Kwambio Ceramic
left: Shapeways Porcelain; right: Kwambio Ceramic
When the cups made their way through Europe, over the Atlantic, and over to Pittsburgh, I opened the box, and I was impressed. The cups in the blue glaze looked phenomenal. The Kwambio prints didn’t have the high fidelity of the old Shapeways prints - the spikes weren’t as pointy and needed a more gradual fillet where they met the surface of the cup - but they were good enough for what they needed to be.
The difference is design specs stems from the fact that Shapeways did on-demand slip casting - printing molds, pouring the slip, etc. - and was able to create a consistent porcelain copy of a design, though for a price concomitant with all the work involved.
Height Differences
The Kwambio prints are not created that way. Each print is done from scratch. You’ll notice, each blue cup is slightly different in height and stands somewhat different from the others. They probably sagged a bit during the drying process since they needed to support their weight sooner than the Shapeways slip cast pieces had to. A support structure could possibly be sorted for a more extensive run, but for a one-off or just a few-off, this individuality is OK. And let me repeat, I really like the glaze on these cups. They look lickable like polished candy.
One of Kwambio’s extra services that I REALLY liked, which was never offered by the big service bureaus, is the multitude of glaze colors and the ability to specify the placement of those colors on a single print. You can even explore making custom colors and get metallic glazes like silver and gold - would love to see a copper color. I took advantage of this for my experimental cup.
Thorn Cup
I had Kwambio color each protrusion blood red while leaving the cup white. And I also had them use a matte glaze. This experiment exceeded my expectations. It added an extra bit of interestingness to an older piece, and I think this aspect of their service is ripe for creative use. For an artist or designer that gets comfortable using Kwambio for production of their work, they offer tiered pricing for larger runs of a single design. If they can nail shipping or offer direct to client shipping, then Kwambio’s future looks bright.
I had a great experience using them, and if you want to experiment with ceramic 3D printing and don’t have access to a fully set up studio, they are probably your best bet.
Check out the design guidelines below and tag @joycomplex and @kwambio on Instagram with your ceramic 3D prints. I'd love to see what you come up with.
